After further review...

[kingfc22]

So I was listening to the local sports station and I heard a great point about the MSU/ND final play which I didn't see posted here.

Shouldn't that play have been whistled dead when the holder received the snap with his knee still on the ground?

I hopped on youtube and from what I can tell he doesn't get off the ground until after he recieves the snap. Since college rules dictate that a knee down equals the end of the play the game should have been over right then and there.

[Scoobz0202]

Wasn't the play clock down to zero before he snapped it as well?

[molson]

If only there was a football referee on the board that could sort this out....

[Mustang]

Then there could never be a PAT or FG attempt because the ball always goes first to a holder with his knee down. Maybe the rule specifically covers falling to the ground, not starting on the ground.

edit : Found this -

The reason is because of NCAA Football Rule 4-1-3(b, exception). This rule creates the exception to the ball being declared dead when a player's knee is down touching the ground. The exception applies only to the HOLDER when an offensive player kicks or simulates kicking the ball for a place kick (Field Goal). By rule the ball may be advanced, kicked or passed.

[Pumpy Tudors]

So I was listening to the local sports station and I heard a great point about the MSU/ND final play which I didn't see posted here.

Shouldn't that play have been whistled dead when the holder received the snap with his knee still on the ground?

I hopped on youtube and from what I can tell he doesn't get off the ground until after he recieves the snap. Since college rules dictate that a knee down equals the end of the play the game should have been over right then and there.
I actually thought of that immediately after seeing the play. If I remember correctly, they changed the rule a few years ago to allow a holder to keep his knee on the ground, but that was for the purposes of placekicks only. Yeah, I questioned it myself after that game, as I would think the play should be blown dead once he decides not to be a holder anymore.

[Glengoyne]

Wasn't the play clock down to zero before he snapped it as well?
I saw something on this, where the referree is supposed to watch the clock, and then once it reaches zero, he is to check to see if the ball has been snapped. If the ball is snapped before the referee makes his check then, the play is legal. The officials looked at the play after the game and declared that lag between play clock to zero to snap was consistent with the period of lag considered to be acceptable for a referee to be making his check.

[Glengoyne]

Then there could never be a PAT or FG attempt because the ball always goes first to a holder with his knee down. Maybe the rule specifically covers falling to the ground, not starting on the ground.

edit : Found this -

The reason is because of NCAA Football Rule 4-1-3(b, exception). This rule creates the exception to the ball being declared dead when a player's knee is down touching the ground. The exception applies only to the HOLDER when an offensive player kicks or simulates kicking the ball for a place kick (Field Goal). By rule the ball may be advanced, kicked or passed.

Nice find. I figured there had to be an exception for the holder. Interesting that the rule also covers fakes.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I saw something on this, where the referree is supposed to watch the clock, and then once it reaches zero, he is to check to see if the ball has been snapped. If the ball is snapped before the referee makes his check then, the play is legal. The officials looked at the play after the game and declared that lag between play clock to zero to snap was consistent with the period of lag considered to be acceptable for a referee to be making his check.

This is what the Big East said (it was their officials who called the game). I guess everything was legit.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Nice find. I figured there had to be an exception for the holder. Interesting that the rule also covers fakes.
There's some interesting language in that rule exception, though. If it's written as Mustang quoted it, the exception applies to the holder when an offensive player kicks or simulates kicking the ball. I don't remember the Michigan State play specifically, but I believe the holder jumped up immediately after he caught the snap. If my memory is correct, there was no time for the kicker to simulate kicking the ball. I mean, I guess the kicker still could've simulated it, but I seem to remember the holder being a few yards away by the time the kicker would've gotten to the spot. I could be misremembering or maybe I'm just being nitpicky, but if the kicker never gets a chance to simulate the kick, how does the rule exception apply?

DR. SAK, YOU'RE NEEDED IN THIS THREAD RIGHT AWAY!!!